2017 Softball Outlook

February 08, 2017 | Softball

Cards bring experience and talent in the face of a challenging schedule

The University of Louisville softball team has established a foundation of success that has led to 13 straight NCAA tournament appearances and six conference championships. The 2017 team features just the right mix of experience, talent and determination to help the program reach new heights.

"We have good experience in many aspects this year," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall who is in her 18^th season at the helm. "All of our outfielders are veterans at their positions, our catchers also have a few years under their belts and, of course, our pitching staff will be led by Maryssa Becker, who is a senior and has been a work horse for us throughout her career."

The Cardinals return both of their top pitchers from last season, as well as six of their top hitters – all of whom batted over .300 and accounted for 33 of Louisville's 37 home runs in 2016. Among those returning players are four all-ACC selections and two NFCA All-Region picks.

"We return some steady hitters in players such as Sidney Melton, Morgan Meyer and Jordan McNary who also bring a great deal of speed on the base paths," said Pearsall. "We've seen great things from Nicole Pufahl who we expect to anchor our outfield as well as Tiarra Sanabria who has spent some time recovering from injury, but has come on strong in preseason practice. I've also been impressed with a lot of our newcomers and I look forward to seeing how we compete against a challenging schedule – especially early on when we face teams like Oklahoma and Arizona before we begin play in a tough ACC conference."

The following is a breakdown of positions as we enter the 2017 season.

Pitchers
With a foundation of two experienced pitchers and the addition of a talented newcomer, Louisville expects to be strong in the circle this season. The Cardinals will look to two-time All-ACC first team selection and NFCA All-Region team member Maryssa Becker to lead the charge. Last season, Becker threw a team-high 204.2 innings with 169 strikeouts and six shutouts to go along with a 2.22 ERA and a career-best 20-11 overall record.

Megan Hensley had an impressive rookie season, carrying a 15-6 record and posting a 2.48 ERA with three shutouts and 81 strikeouts in 130 innings of work. The 2016 All-ACC second team selection was among the NFCA's Top 25 Freshman and earned NFCA All-Southeast Region honors.

Becker and Hensley were also two of the Cardinals' top offensive threats. Becker led the team with a .411 batting average, 702 slugging percentage and a school-record 60 RBIs. Hensley paced the team with 13 home runs and stood second behind Becker with 52 RBIs. The two combined for 23 of Louisville's 37 home runs and 112 of its 281 RBIs.

Sydney Warinner will complement the Cardinals' established pitchers and will provide a different look and added depth at the position. The freshman right-hander is a two-time all-state selection in Ohio and helped her Beverly Bandit team to the 2016 18U ASAUSA Gold National title.

"Maryssa Becker has certainly been a force for us on the mound and she has worked hard in the offseason to make this her best year," said Pearsall. "Megan Hensley had a great freshman season last year and now she comes back with more experience to go along with her tremendous work ethic. We are also excited to have freshman Sydney Warinner has looked good in our practices so far."

Catchers
The Cardinals return a bevy of talent to complete the battery. Junior Jenna Jordan started 33 games behind the plate last season. The sophomore transfer from Colorado State registered a .298 batting average and scored 14 runs in her first season at Louisville.

Junior Alison Szydlowski has logged 37 career starts behind the dish and possesses a strong, accurate arm. After posting a .316 batting average in 2016, Szydlowski continued to be productive in the fall and preseason and will contend for a starting position.

Ashley Nikolao will also bring depth at catcher and will add offensive power to the lineup as well. The junior hit .346 and belted out five doubles in 2015.

Freshman Shelby Graybill could also see time behind the plate. The rookie brings an impressive offensive resume to the team as a 2016 Premier Girls Fastpitch All-American and two-time Northern Kentucky Player of the Year.

Infielders
First base
The Cardinals have several viable options at first base. Before spending the majority of last season sidelined due to injury, Tiarra Sanabria was the Cardinals' first baseman during the 2015 season as well as part of 2014. As she enters her senior season, Sanabria is back to full-speed and will look to resume her role at first.

Sophomore Jordan Vorbrink spent part of last season at first base and logged in some impressive numbers offensively, connecting on three doubles, three triples and a home run for a .537 slugging percentage.

Fellow sophomore Michala Riggle had a productive fall and could also see time at first base along with Graybill.

Middle infielders
Second Base
The Cardinals will reload at second base after the graduation of Brittany Sims who held down the position for the last two seasons. Junior Jamie Soles saw 15 starts there last season while posting a .286 batting average.

Blaire Bass, a transfer from 2016 Women's College World Series runner-up Auburn, is a student of the game who will also compete for playing time and a starting role.

Shortstop
Junior Sidney Melton took over as the Cardinals' starting shortstop midway through last season and settled in nicely with her vast range and quick release. Her speed proved to be one of the Cardinals' offensive weapons as she led the team with 15 stolen bases, 43 runs and three triples and stood second on the team with a .365 batting average.

Freshman Caitlin Ferguson also brings great athleticism and solid defense to the game. The two-time all-state player from Versailles, Ky., will also see playing time at shortstop.

Third base
Sophomore Lillie Goetz is a good candidate to step into the starting role at third base following the graduation of all-ACC performer Hailey Smith. Goetz saw significant playing time at third base last season and provided solid defense. She was also a steady hitter for the Cardinals, registering a .327 batting average with 27 runs and 22 RBI. She displayed power with six doubles, two triples and a pair of home runs – both grand slams.

Also vying for playing time at third is freshman Celene Funke, a 2016 all-state selection and Miss Indiana Softball nominee from Carmel, Ind. , who brings solid credentials and athleticism to the field.

Outfielders
With the return of three veteran starters, the Cardinals will not miss a beat in the outfield. Senior Jordan McNary has been Louisville's starting left fielder for the past two years and looks to return to that role this season. The speedy 2016 All-ACC selection posted a .313 average, belted out three triples, scored 30 runs and stood second on the team with 12 stolen bases last season.

Junior Nicole Pufahl has anchored the centerfield position for the past two seasons. Pufahl brings a mix of power and quickness to the team. Last season, she was tied for third on the team with six home runs while scoring 31 and driving in 26.

Senior Morgan Meyer is also coming off of a breakout season in 2016. As a junior, she started 37 games in right field and hit .319 on the season with two triples, 19 runs, 12 RBIs and four stolen bases.

Vorbrink and Hensley will also provide added depth in the outfield after seeing time there last season.

The Road Ahead
The Cardinals will face a challenging 2017 schedule which features nine games against top-25 opponents including 2016 national champion Oklahoma. UofL will also host two tournaments as part of a 26-game home slate.

"This is a very challenging schedule for us, but it's something I think we need not to prepare ourselves not only for ACC play, but also for post season play," said Pearsall. "The schedule that we put together will also test this team in terms of travel. We are going from coast-to-coast early on and that's always tough on a team, but we are prepared for that and I think it's going to add a lot of toughness to our team as we embrace the challenge of taking on top teams in Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Florida State – just to name a few."

Among Louisville's opponents are eight teams that played in the 2016 NCAA tournament including national champion Oklahoma and fellow Women's College World Series participant Florida State. The Cardinals will play a total of nine games against teams ranked in the top 25 and will have four contests with teams who were receiving votes at the end of the 2016 season.

The top eight teams in the league will convene in Chapel Hill, N.C. , for the 2017 ACC Softball Championships which will be held at North Carolina's Anderson Stadium May 11-13.